...aaaaand it's Friday. How did that happen?
Time flies here in New York differently than anywhere else on the planet, I swear... as an occassional visitor, I find the urge to see, do, try to be unrelenting...and the opportunities are so vast. So yes, I'm happily burning the candle at both ends...reuniting with old friends when I can, seeing shows, having good, deep conversations...and not sleeping very much. Shocker.

Oh, and I've been listening to auditions! Right! The reason we're here! I find that my ears are weirdly taxed during this trip - trying to listen so closely to so many voices, listening both for potential and for potential problems, and feeling a little more responsible for my choices this year. We've had some lovely, lovely musical auditions, but we've also had some that have totally shot my eardrums with unrelenting, all-one-color volume. Whew. I'm not naming names, but some teachers are doing SO well by their students, and some of y'all should get off campus and listen to the wider world more often. And some singers would benefit from having more than one or two colors in your crayola box to use.

(My ears are feeling a little tender still - can you tell?)

Two of the highlights of the trip, (aside from seeing EZ and AlohaDude - HUGE highlights!) so far were seeing City Opera's production of Bernstein's A Quiet Place and getting together with some Alums at the Delta Grill. The opera was challenging and gorgeous and totally devastating in turns...a great evening of theater, even if I don't so much want to spend an evening with that f*ed up family again any time soon. And reconnecting with some alums? Priceless....love to hear how they're doing!

On the docket for today? A quick zip down to B&H. Loads o' auditions. Packing. (checking out tomorrow! Ack! I'm a wee bit too comfortable in my rented room.) Seeing two fabulous Ellisians! And the dress rehearsal of Intermezzo, directed by my favorite Dirty Old Man.